1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a probe for receiving and transmitting an ultrasonic wave. Further, the present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus for medical diagnosis by receiving and transmitting the ultrasonic wave with the probe.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, in ultrasonic diagnosis apparatuses, a single system has been used for receiving means and transmitting means of an ultrasonic wave. There among, as an element (vibrator) for receiving and transmitting the ultrasonic wave, one-dimensional sensor arrays are generally used. The one-dimensional sensor arrays employ piezoelectric materials such as piezoelectric ceramics represented by PZT (Pb (lead) zirconate titanate) or piezoelectric high-polymers represented by PVDF (polyvinyl difluoride). Further, a two-dimensional image is obtained by scanning the one-dimensional sensor array, and a plurality of the two-dimensional images are synthesized, thereby obtaining a three-dimensional image.
However, according to the above-mentioned technique, time lag is caused in the scan direction of the one-dimensional direction of the one-dimensional sensor array, and therefore, sectional images at different times are synthesized. As a consequence, the synthesized image becomes blurred. Therefore, in the case of ultrasonic echo observation using the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus, this technique is not suitable for an object to be imaged such as a living organism.
In order to obtain the three-dimensional image using the ultrasonic wave with high quality, a two-dimensional sensor array is necessitated to obtain the two-dimensional image without scanning operation of the sensor array. Thus, a technique is examined to produce a two-dimensional sensor array by using the above-mentioned PZT or PVDF. The use of the PZT and PVDF needs the micro-fabrication of an element and the interconnection of a numerous number of microcomponents. However, the improvement in micro-fabrication and high-integration of the element is difficult under the present condition. If this improvement is realized, there are problems that crosstalk between elements will be increased, an SN ratio will be deteriorated by the rise in electric impedance due to fine interconnection, and an electrode portion of the fine element will be easily destroyed. Accordingly, the two-sensor array using the PZT or PVDF is hardly realized.
This results in desiring the employment of a two-dimensional sensor using optical fibers as an ultrasonic sensor using no piezoelectric material. However, the ultrasonic sensor using optical fibers has no transmitting function of the ultrasonic wave, and therefore, must have the transmission function.
Accordingly, the present invention is made in consideration of the above-discussed problems, and has its first object to provide a two-dimensional ultrasonic probe having a function for transmitting an ultrasonic signal without electric interconnection of a numerous number of microcomponents and without increase in crosstalk and electric impedance. Also, it is the second object to provide an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus having the above-mentioned two-dimensional ultrasonic probe.
In order to overcome the problems, according to the present invention, an ultrasonic probe includes transmitting means for transmitting an ultrasonic signal and receiving means for receiving an ultrasonic signal, using a system different from that of the transmitting means.
According to the present invention, an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus includes transmitting means for transmitting an ultrasonic signal, a drive signal generating circuit for generating a drive signal to be applied to the transmitting means so as to transmit the ultrasonic signal, receiving means for receiving an ultrasonic signal, using a system different from that of the transmitting means, a detector for detecting a reception signal supplied by the receiving means to generate a detection signal, signal processing means for processing the detection signal output from the detector, control means for controlling transmitting timing of the drive signal and receiving timing of the reception signal, an image processing unit for forming image data on the basis of an output signal of the signal processing means, and an image display unit for displaying an image on the basis of the image data.
According to the present invention, it is possible to realize a two-dimensional ultrasonic probe having a transmitting function of an ultrasonic signal without electric interconnection of a numerous number of microcomponents and without increase in crosstalk and electric impedance. Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to realize an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus having the above-mentioned two-dimensional ultrasonic probe.